The Babysitter
by XxFleetingEmbracexX
Summary: Rin is no babysitter, yet he gets tricked into watching after a little dark-haired boy. With that odd task he also comes to meet the boy's guardian, Makoto Tachibana, a kind-hearted teacher that always offers a helping hand. Yet, Rin fears that one day his double life will catch up to him and rob him of his new found joy. MakoRin. Yaoi. AU. Child!Haru.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: My first multi-chaptered Free! fic and it's MakoRin to boot. I don't quite know where this came from, but I'm so going to enjoy writing this. I hope this fic works out the way I'm imagining it in my head. Okay, hope you enjoy this new story. **

**Warnings: MakoRin. Child!Haru. Side pairings: NagisaxYounger!Rei. GouxSeijuro. Minor apperances of OC's. Possible, but not yet decided, smut. Yes, this is slash/yaoi. Alternate Universe. UnBeta'd. Also, I changed a couple of things to better fit my fic, such as the boys' ages.**

**Disclaimer: I, in no way own Free! Iwatobi Swim Club. **

**…**

Things never go exactly how you plan them.

"_If you want to make God laugh, then tell him your plans."_

That's what his father used to say. He could clearly see the man's crinkly-eyed smile, hear his strong yet kind voice.

God must certainly be in hysterics by now.

Rin's eyes snapped open, his body covered in cold sweat. Another nightmare for another day. The redhead wiped away the sweat from his face as he got out of his bed. Barely opening his eyes, Rin made it to his bathroom and washed up for the day. He lived in a modest apartment, nothing glamorous, but nice enough to be deemed comfortable. After all, he needed no luxury to get by. All he wanted was to put Gou through college, so she could make something of herself, so she could make their parents proud. Something he would never be able to do. Every morning he passed by their photograph, which lied on top of his dresser, guilt would rise in his stomach. He would incline his head forward and whisper an apology, before continuing on his way.

The ringing of his phone brought him out of the bathroom, water falling down his jaw.

"Good morning, Nii-chan!" Rin's lips twitched up, forming a barely there smile.

"Why aren't you in class, Gou?"

"Kou, Kou, how many times must I remind you, Nii-chan?" Rin snorted.

"Why aren't you in class, _Kou_?"

"Sensei cancelled our class, apparently he got sick." Gou giggled.

_This is what I'm paying for? _Rin couldn't help but wonder.

"Ah, well eat something while you wait for your next class. I'll go shopping today, so you won't have to eat out tomorrow." Rin yawned, riffling through his dresser for clean clothes.

"Are you off today, Nii-chan?" Gou asked, sounding hopeful. Rin cursed mentally, remembering that he had a client that night.

"Only in the morning, I have to work tonight." There was some shuffling on the other end of the line, followed by a soft sigh.

"Oh, okay. Don't work too hard, Nii-chan, you'll turn into an old man faster if you do." Rin stifled a chuckle.

"I'll keep that in mind. Now go eat something." Gou huffed in annoyance at being ordered around, but didn't argue. After a few more words they hung up. His little sister was the only silver lining in his life, she was his only ray of sunshine. She was the reason why he got up every morning. Pushing aside those thoughts, Rin left his small apartment and headed to the market.

…

The teachers lounge was peacefully quiet, the only sound coming from the coffee machine. Nagisa Hazuki was in the middle of preparing himself a cup of overly-sweetened coffee when the door to the lounge was thrown open, the loud bang echoing throughout the room. A panting brunette rushed inside, his green eyes wild.

"Mako-chan?" Nagisa cocked his head to the side in question.

"N-Nagisa, are you free tonight?"

"Ne, are you asking me out, Mako-chan?" The petite blonde pretended to hide his face in embarrasment. Makoto shook his head furiously.

"I need a babysitter."

Nagisa frowned, "I'm sorry, Mako-chan. I have a class this evening." Makoto ran his hand through his hair, his desperation showing. Nagisa pressed his index finger to his chin, pondering their current problem.

"I got it!" The blonde snapped his fingers. Makoto threw him a hopeful gaze. "Give me five minutes, Mako-chan, and I'll have you a babysitter."

…

Rin was weaving his way through the crowd of people when his phone rang. Thinking it was his little sister again, he answered it without looking.

"What is it this time, Gou?"

"Wrong person, Rin-chan." Rin stopped, causing a few people to bump into him.

"Nagisa?"

"That's it! Listen, Rin-chan, I need to ask you a huuuge favor."

Before Rin could answer, Nagisa continued. "Don't forget you owe me." He singed.

Rin sighed, unable to deny that.

"What is it?" Rin asked reluctantly.

"I have a client for you, Rin-chan, for tonight."

"I already have one, Nagisa."

"He'll double the pay, he's extremely desperate." Rin nearly dropped his phone.

"D-double?" There was a moment of silence, Nagisa was sure he had convinced the other. "Okay, give me his number, I'll call him."

"Uh, no, no, he's very shy about this…I'll tell him myself, he'll be very happy." Nagisa gave Rin the necessary information before ending their call.

"Sorry, Rin-chan." Nagisa whispered to himself. He knew that if he told Rin the truth he would never agree to babysitting a kid. However, Nagisa knew how good Rin was with children, Gou-chan adored her older brother. Leaving his mild guilt behind he rushed off to find Makoto and tell him about his new babysitter. The brunette let out a breath of relief, thanking the petite blond profusely. Hoping for the best, and that Rin won't kill him when he finds out the truth, Nagisa left the lounge.

…

The sight of a frantic brunette, holding a stoic faced little boy, was the last thing Rin had expected to see. He discreetly checked the apartment number on the side of the door.

Number 259A. Yes, that was the right number.

No, that just couldn't be. Rin was on the verge of running out of sight when the man spoke.

"Thank you so much for showing up on such short notice, Matsuoka-san." The brunette rambled as he put the little boy down. The child had bright blue eyes and inky black hair. He scowled up at Rin, hiding behind the brunette's legs.

"Uh, I don't think-" The little boy cut Rin off.

"I don't need a babysitter, Makoto." The child tugged at Makoto's pants. Makoto sighed, it seemed like they'd had this discussion before.

"Haru, please behave." Makoto turned toward Rin. "Please come in, Matsuoka-san. I've written down my contact information here." He handed over a note card. "I won't be long ("I don't need a babysitter, Makoto") don't hesitate to call me if something happens. And, ("I don't need a babysitter") thank you again. Haru," Makoto kneeled in front of the boy and pulled him into a hug. "You're too young to stay alone, listen to Matsuoka-san, and don't cause trouble. I'll be back very soon." Rin watched in terror as the brunette reluctantly pulled away and bid his farewell. Once the door shut close the little raven glared up at Rin. Dumbstruck, Rin leaned against the door. He was no babysitter. Why the hell had Nagisa sent him to this guy's house?

"I don't need a babysitter." The child said coldly.

"Look, kid, I'm not-" Rin stopped himself. He wasn't really going to tell a child what he actually did for a living.

"My name is Nanase Haruka, not kid." Rin grimaced.

"Okay, Haruka-kun, don't you have anything to do…homework maybe?" Rin was grabbing at straws. Haruka contemplated the question and after a few beats of silence slumped his shoulders and murmured a faint yes. Rin heaved a sigh of relief when the boy went to retrieve his school books.

With the boy momentarily gone, Rin grabbed his phone and angrily dialed Nagisa.

"Hello, Rin-chan."

"Listen here you little shit. This guy just dumped his kid on me and left, what the hell is going on?" Rin growled furiously.

"Calm down, Rin-chan. I'm sorry I lied to you, but if I had asked you upfront I knew you wouldn't have agreed. Look, it's only for a little bit, and I'll pay you the rest, you'll still be making more than you would with a regular client." Rin bit his lips, he couldn't argue with that.

"Fine, fine, it's not like I can just leave the kid on his own, but damn, next time just tell me."

"Don't swear, Makoto doesn't like it." Rin jumped when he heard the child's voice behind him. Rin watched as the boy, carrying a book, notebook, and pencil case, sat down on the kitchen table. Haruka opened his book and spiral and grabbed a pencil from his navy blue pencil case.

"Thank you very much, Rin-chan, don't worry Mako-chan won't be long." There was a sharp bang on the other end of the line. "S-sorry, Rin-chan, I need to go, one of my students just fainted." With that the other line died. Rin suppressed his annoyance as he put away his phone. His eyes landed on the boy and found him furiously erasing something on his paper. Rin wasn't enough of a bastard to simply ignore the little guy.

"Need help?" Rin asked as he sauntered over. Haruka flinched, as if he had forgotten he had company.

"No." The boy mumbled, gazing down at his messy paper. Rin pursed his lips, but didn't move away. He looked down at the paper and had to stifle his chuckle.

"It's _nice to meet you_." Rin touched the paper, index finger on the blank line. "It's _meet_, with two _e's_, not _ea_." Haruka blinked up at him.

"You know English?" Haruka asked, with what looked like admiration in his eyes. Rin grinned, sharp teeth showing.

"I studied abroad for a bit."

"In America?" Rin nodded. Apparently, knowledge is what Haruka valued most. For the next two hours, long after Haruka had finished his homework, Rin taught Haru all the English he could. Rin was surprised at how quickly Haruka picked it up.

"You're not bad at all." Rin voiced his thoughts, Haru's cheeks went a little pink.

"The teacher at school isn't as smart as you." Rin stared blankly for a bit before laughing, ruffling the boy's dark hair. Haru swatted the hands away and the scowl returned.

After a few more english words, Rin decided it was time for the kid to eat. Rin scavenged through the sad looking pantry and found nothing but bags of rice. He moved to the fridge and was shocked to find it filled with mackerel.

"What do you two usually eat?"

"Mackerel." No surprise there.

"Don't bother. Makoto will be back soon." Haru said, looking up toward the clock on the opposite wall. Rin closed the fridge and sat back down. The question that lingered in his mind finally coming out.

"Why do you call him by his name, isn't he your dad?" Rin watched as Haru stopped writing, his eyes focused on the paper. When no answer came Rin suspected he'd asked something he shouldn't have.

"He's not my father." That was all he said. Rin left it at that and continued to teach Haru more english words. However, his curiosity didn't die down. Rin shook off those thoughts, this would probably be the only time he saw these two. Not even thirty minutes later, and Makoto was walking through the door. The man had a tired looking expression that quickly dissipated when his green eyes landed on the child. Haru quickly got up and rushed to Makoto's side, hugging the man's legs. Rin watched silently. The boy's face brightened, his smile wide, and the man's face was a perfect mirror. Makoto picked the boy up, both looking completely content in each others arms. Rin couldn't help but smile.

The brunette's eyes shifted towards Rin, "Thank you." He breathed out.

Rin shook his head, "He's a great kid, no problem at all." Haru turned his head.

"He's smart, Makoto." The little raven whispered. Rin nearly blushed at the look Makoto threw his way.

"Have you washed up for dinner?" Makoto asked the child. Haru shook his head and Makoto put him down, telling him to go clean up for their soon-to-be-done dinner. Rin prepared to leave when Makoto stopped him.

"He's never…he's never said anything nice about any of his previous babysitters." Makoto's green eyes shimmered in joy. "Could you babysit for me again, Matsuoka-san?" Rin was at a loss for words. He wasn't a babysitter, and if Makoto knew what he actually worked in he wouldn't want him anywhere near them. He was going to refuse. Say that he wouldn't be available, that this had just been a favor for a friend, but for some reason he couldn't refuse. He had enjoyed his time with the little Haruka, the boy wasn't as energetic as his little sister growing up, but he was still entertaining and very smart. Rin agreed, Makoto's smile was blinding.

"Well, I should get going." Rin wanted to leave before he changed his mind.

"Do you need a ride, Matsuoka-san? Or, would you like to join us for dinner?" Rin could practically see dog ears and a wagging tail on the brunette. Rin declined the kind offer and only stayed long enough for Makoto to pay him. As he was walking out Haru returned to the living room and waved goodbye. Rin left the apartment feeling oddly giddy. Those two were an odd pair. They seemed very close, but still Rin wondered what Makoto was to Haru, how the two came together. There was definitely a story there, and Rin wondered if he would ever get to hear it. The redhead shook his head, guilt rising up. No, he shouldn't get any closer to them. It had been a mistake to accept Makoto's job offer so easily. He would just forget about the whole thing. Yes, that's exactly what he was going to do, not answer any calls from the man, and just put this entire crazy night behind him. Besides, he had many clients to keep happy, and he was no damn babysitter.

**...**

**To be continued.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: This took a bit longer than expected, I had been hoping to upload this on our Orca's birthday, but I failed ;_; but nonetheless here is the next chapter. Honestly, I didn't expect the wonderful response this story has gotten. Thank you! I only wish to contribute a little to this wonderful ship!**

**Warnings: (see chapter 1) but also, a little NitoRin, 'cause of reasons. Also, this will be a relatively slow-paced relationship type fic. These two have way too many demons to get together right off the bat, is this considered a spoiler of my own story? Hmm…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Free! or High Speed! for that matter.**

…**. **

The night air was pleasantly warm as Rin walked back to his apartment. Only few people roamed the streets at this hour, mostly young couples. The wind picked up as he rounded a corner, his apartment building coming into sight. He was only a few feet away when his phone rang, startling him. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw who it was.

"What is it, Ai?" Rin paused outside his apartment building. There was awkward shuffling from the other line before an uncertain voice spoke up.

"I-is it too late to meet up?" Rin frowned.

"No, it's fine. Give me thirty minutes." The call ended after a few more words. Rin hurried up to his apartment and showered in under ten minutes. Gou said nothing as she watched her brother dress up for his night out with a _friend_. She smiled as he ruffled her hair and walked out the door. He wasn't surprised to find a dark, sleek car parked on the end of his street.

"I wasn't expecting you to call." Rin said as he sat down on the passenger seat. The handsome young man on the driver's side gave a weary smile.

"Well, I, uh, figured you'd be done by now." The man brushed his grey hair back, his eyes darting to Rin briefly. With that Aiichiro pulled out of the street and drove off. Rin remained silent as he watched the lamp posts and street signs zoom past his eyes. If he were honest, he was extremely glad that it was Aiichiro Nitori who was requesting him tonight. Though he hadn't done much at the Tachibana household he was still tired, and wasn't really in the mood to force himself. Fifteen minutes later they reached a luxurious hotel swarming with people, most of them foreigners. Rin waited by the entrance while Ai spoke with the valet worker. They'd been here before, Rin recognized a few faces here and there as they walked toward the reception desk. The brunette behind the desk was also familiar. She gave them a tight-lipped smile as she nodded to whatever room Ai was requesting. Her smile faltered when Ai leaned closer to Rin, whispering something in his ear. Rin wanted to smirk but kept his face neutral. After they were given their room key, they headed for the crowded elevator.

"She didn't seem very happy to see us back." Rin said. Ai gave a soft chuckle but didn't say anything. When they finally reached their room, Rin wondered if he'd ever get over the fact that the rooms here were always bigger than his apartment.

"Do you want to shower, Rin-senpai?" Rin shook his head, removing his shoes.

"Already took one. I've told you that you don't have to call me that, Ai." The blue-eyed man smiled a little.

"You'll always be my senpai." Rin was about to argue when a pair of arms clasped around his waist. Rin allowed the shorter man to have his way with him. The night was a blur of heated words and sweaty embraces. By the time Rin woke up the next morning, the sun peeking through the blinds unpleasantly, Aiichiro was gone. Rin yawned, noticing the stack of money on the dresser. He smiled up at the ceiling. This is why he liked spending the night with Ai. Rin hated it when his clients dragged on their meetings, insisting on hanging off of Rin, Ai was well aware of this and always left before Rin woke up. To this day his kouhai was still very considerate of him. With nothing else to do in the unnecessarily large room, Rin got up and dressed. He tucked the money away in his pocket and left the still crowded hotel, ignoring the curious glances thrown his way.

…

"I've already apologized, I don't know what more you want." Rin huffed into the phone. It was late, he was tired, and didn't have time for obnoxious blonds. The man on the other end was having none of that.

"I want you to stop being a jerk and call Mako-chan." Nagisa was equally agitated. They'd been arguing for the past ten minutes.

"Why the hell am I the jerk? You were the one who tricked me into going over to that guy's place." Rin rolled over, covering his eyes with his free hand.

"Come on, Rin-chan! Haru-chan absolutely adored you, and Mako-chan was very pleased with all the stuff you taught him." Rin scoffed, remembering the little boy's scowling face. Warm green eyes and a kind smile came to his mind next. Rin sighed. Two days ago he'd received a call from Makoto Tachibana, the little boy's guardian, asking him if he could baby-sit once again. Rin had refused, coming up with a very lame excuse, and upon hearing the disappointed voice of the brunette he instantly felt like shit. However, he tried to convince himself that he was doing the right thing. That they were way better off being apart from him. The gnawing guilt didn't leave him, and it was starting to piss him off. He didn't even know these people, for God's sake!

"…it might even be good for you, Rin-chan! And-"

"Alright, alright, just shut up! I'll call him tomorrow." He ended the call when Nagisa's cheering threatened to leave him deaf. He threw his phone to the side and rolled over once again, throwing a pillow on top of his head. His reasoning was off, he was just being selfish. He had no need to work for Makoto, not when he could make double what he would earn by babysitting the scowling Haruka with one hour with his regular client. Nevertheless, he had enjoyed the warm atmosphere in the brunette's home, and was reluctantly craving more of that. It reminded him of when he and Gou were little and their mother would ask them to set the table for dinner while they waited for their father to come home. That warmth, that familiar warmth, was what he felt around those two, and he craved more of it.

That night he dreamt of sunny skies and salty waters, there was no screaming or tears or fear, only laughter and peace.

…

Rin made good on his word. The very next morning, after he showered and ate, he called Makoto. The brunette had been very glad to hear from him, and got even happier when Rin said he could watch Haruka again. Makoto explained how his department was having meetings in the evening, and that he had been hoping Rin would be able to watch Haru again since the boy had taken a liking to him. Rin nodded through most of the conversation, finding it amusing how much the man could ramble on. Finally, Makoto had to stop himself when he realized he was late for his class. Rin chuckled as he put his phone away, that warm feeling spreading throughout his chest.

"Ooh, what's with that smile, Nii-chan?" Rin jumped when his sister appeared next to him, grinning too much like him.

"Nothing that concerns little girls." Rin smirked. Gou pouted.

"Why aren't you in school?" Rin stood from his chair. Gou turned toward the kitchen and served herself a glass of orange juice, and finishing it off in two large gulps.

"My first class doesn't start until ten. Though today I'm meeting someone for breakfast." Gou said as she picked up her heavy backpack.

"And, who might that be?" Rin said, eyebrows shooting up.

"That doesn't concern nosy brothers." Gou giggled at the disgruntled expression on Rin face.

"_Gou._"

"Relax, Nii-chan." Gou smiled, obviously pleased with herself, and, after receiving an identical smile from her brother, left the apartment. Rin stared after her, feeling a little lightheaded. She certainly was growing up fast. Soon, so very soon, he would have to face reality. He would have to stop lying about his reasons for doing what he was currently doing. So very soon he would have own up to his flaws. Rin pushed these unpleasant musings away and decided to drown himself in mindless television.

…

Apartment number 259A.

Rin knocked on the door, worrying his bottom lip. After a few seconds the door flew open and a disheveled brunette appeared before him.

"Ah, Matsuoka-san, please, come in." Makoto stepped aside. Rin's lip twitched in amusement. Makoto was missing a sock, his tie was loose and backwards, and his white shirt was wrinkled and stained.

"Are you running late?" Rin couldn't help but ask. Makoto closed the door, laughing nervously.

"I, uh, overslept." The brunette scratched the back of his neck.

"I told him to set an alarm, but he didn't listen." Haruka, the little raven, said as he walked over to Rin, suppressing a yawn. His inky black hair was sticking out in every direction, and his clothes were in a similar state as Makoto's. Rin didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.

"I didn't feel that sleepy…" Makoto mumbled.

"It's getting late, Makoto." Haru said, staring up at the clock. Makoto gave a sort of yelp and ran toward, what Rin assumed, was his bedroom.

"Have you two switched ages?" Rin whispered to Haru. The boy shrugged his shoulders and told Rin that this was a normal occurrence. Five minutes later, Makoto rushed out of his room, gave Haru a hug goodbye, and thanked Rin for showing up again. When the door closed, Rin turned toward Haru. The boy wasn't as reluctant about having a babysitter this time, but he still didn't look all that pleased. Once again, Rin asked the boy if he had homework and the boy nodded, getting up to go for his books. This time there was no English homework.

"Sensei got mad when I corrected him." Haru grumbled when Rin asked about his lack of English homework .

"Oh?" Rin sat next to Haru, peering into the book. There were a few multiplication and division problems.

"Makoto said that he would talk to him." Haru stopped talking after that. Rin watched as the kid worked through the problems, only erasing a few times.

"What grade are you in?" Haru's pencil didn't stop moving.

"Five." Rin was surprised. The boy looked so small, he had assumed he was younger. That would mean he was around ten or eleven years old. Rin looked down when he felt something nudge his leg.

"You can watch tv if you want." Ah, so the kid wanted to be left alone. Rin took the remote from Haru and turned on the nice flat-screen on the opposite wall. He flipped through the various channels but nothing caught his interest. There was a cooking show, an awful reality show, a kids show (he briefly thought of leaving it there, but Haru wasn't paying attention) and finally…

"…and it's Hawn in lane 4 who is currently in the lead. Followed closely by Kinjo in lane 2. It looks like it'll be a close match between these two…yes! With a great time of one-thirty nine, Kinjo advances to the next round." Rin's face lit up as he watched the man pull himself out of the water, exuberant smile on his face. It had been so long since he'd seen a swim meet, and by the looks of it this was an international tournament.

"You like swimming?" The soft voice caught his attention. Rin nodded, turning toward the little boy who had stopped writing and was staring intently at the screen.

"I actually used to swim…when I was in school." Haru's blue eyes twinkled as he gazed up at Rin.

"Do you swim, Haru-chan?" Rin found it surprisingly easy to address the boy by his nickname. Maybe hearing Nagisa call him that constantly was beginning to take it's effect. The boy didn't seem to mind though.

"I used to. I really liked it." Rin frowned at the sad expression that crossed Haru's face. Before he could ask why he didn't swim anymore, the boy continued.

"Makoto used to swim too." A smile tugged at the corners of Haru's lips. With one final glance at the tv, Haru took hold of his pencil once again and continued his diligent work. Rin's head was quickly filling with unnecessary questions. He brushed them away, wanting nothing more than to be the least involved with this odd family. By the end of the competition, which was won by an Australian, Makoto walked through the front door. He was muttering something about _Ama-chan_.

"Welcome home, Makoto." Haru said as he closed his book. The brunette instantly wiped the tired look off his face, replacing it with a wide smile.

"Are you hungry, Haru?" Makoto asked as he put his briefcase down and removed his shoes. The boy nodded.

"Would you like to join us for dinner, Matsuoka-san?"

_Say no, no, no, no. Just make something up. Anything, just refuse the offer…_

"Sure." _Damn._

Rin sat awkwardly on the couch as Makoto stepped into the small kitchen to prepare their dinner. He had offered to help, but the brunette had kindly declined the offer.

"_You are our guest, Matsuoka-san." _He had said, smiling. Rin watched as Haru followed Makoto into the kitchen, a look of boredom on his face. Minutes later the little boy was setting the table. Rin stood up, determined to at least help carry the food to the table. There wasn't much to carry. The brunette had cooked up some mackerel, a bowl of plain rice, and, what looked liked, steamed cabbage.

"It's not much, but I hope you enjoy it." Makoto said, nervously pulling off the blue apron he'd been wearing. Rin sat down opposite of the brunette, with Haru to his left, eagerly pulling a grilled fish onto his plate.

"No, this looks great." Rin lied. He served himself some rice, the sad-looking cabbage, and topped it off with the small mackerel. So, the kid had not lied about what they ate everyday. Rin ate his meal quietly, every so often smiling at a particular comment Makoto would make.

"…She is a brilliant professor, but half the time I don't quite understand what she's talking about." Rin looked up from his plate to see Makoto carefully wiping the rice off of Haru's chin.

"Where do you teach?" Makoto's eyes snapped toward his own.

"Tottori University." Rin grinned.

"My sister is going there now. She just started." Rin said, finishing off his rice. Makoto's eyes lighted up at the shared information.

"She's a first year," Makoto said, thinking. "Ah, seems I won't get her until next year. Well, if she decides to choose my class." He laughed. To Rin's surprise, they shared a pleasant conversation over the University and Rin's sister. Makoto informed Rin that he was a classical literature professor, and that he worked with second and third years. Their talk was cut short when Haru began to doze off on the table, his chopsticks falling to the floor.

"I should be going now." Rin said as he stood and stretched. Makoto nodded, waking up the slumbering boy and sending him off to wash up for the night. When it was just the two of them the brunette turned to face Rin.

"Thank you again, Matsuoka-san. I don't know what I would do if you weren't available." Rin waived his hand dismissively, brushing away the memories of other times he's been told that, but in entirely different contexts. Makoto hastily retrieved his wallet and handed Rin his pay for the night. Rin said goodbye to finally stop the rant of gratitude that spilled from the other's mouth.

"Are you sure you don't need a ride?" Makoto asked one last time, half-way out of the door. Rin once again declined the offer and left before he was stopped by unnecessarily kind words.

On his way to the train station, Rin berated himself for continuing on with this farce. Though, technically he wasn't lying, only hiding the truth a little. The smile etched across his face clearly indicated that he was enjoying this situation. He wasn't hurting anybody, Rin concluded, trying to ease his raging mind. Besides, a few more visits to the Tachibana household would serve as a pleasant distraction while he waited for his usual clients to call him. With that in mind, Rin began to think of things he could teach the little raven that would cause his blue eyes to shine in admiration, and that would earn high praise from the friendly Makoto. His anticipation for his next visit to apartment 259A grew tenfold.

**To be continued….**

**AN: One final thing. I'm working off the assumption that Iwatobi is based on the actual town of Iwami, but the fic is actually set in Tottori a city about 30 minutes away from Iwatobi/Iwami. This might be useless information now, but it'll count later. Just wanted to clear this up before I confused people. (Though I think I might have just done that).**

**Until next time my lovely readers.**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author Note: Happy (late) New Year, everyone! Damn am I glad to finally be in 2014. I hope you all had a wonderful time during the holidays. During the crappy final days of 2013 the only things that kept my spirits up was writing fanfics in my journal (since my poor computer is nearing it's untimely end) and surfing Tumblr on my phone. Every time I got a notification that another lovely person was following/or faving this fic, and my others as well, it made my heart fly! Thank you to every single one of you for reading the stuff I attempt to write. Much love to you!_**

**_Warnings: Aside from those already mentioned in chapter 1: a bit of angst in this chapter, and have I already mentioned OOC, because, yeah OOC..._**

**_This will also be posted to my tumblr: dontlookdirectly_**

**_ ..._**

_The soft breeze did little to alleviate the harsh rays of the blazing sun. Makoto wiped away the sweat that dripped down his forehead. His mind was eagerly supplying an image of his mother's iced tea, tart and cool, waiting for him at home. This only urged him on, his pace quickening. Until…_

"_Um, excuse me." The soft voice came from behind him and halted his movements. The brunette turned around and came to face a pretty, young women. Her dark hair was pulled up in a messy bun and her brown eyes were filled with worry. His eyes then found the small child she was holding in her arms, a large blue hat covering most of his face. _

"_Do you need help?" Makoto turned fully, straightening his shoulders. The women nodded, smiling weakly._

"_My husband and I just moved here, up there," she inclined her head toward the top of the stone staircase just a few feet from them. "Well, you see, I've been looking for a convenience store and only managed to get myself lost. Luckily, I found my way back, but I really need to buy a few things. Could you please tell me where the closest one is?" The women began to rock the child in her arms when he started to make little whining noises. The oppressing heat disappeared, and the sun's rays didn't sting as much as Makoto offered to help the women. _

"_If you'd like, I can guide you myself." Makoto offered, smiling widely. The women thanked him profusely and he became flustered with her grateful words. As he showed her the way to the nearest store, she introduced him to the small boy she was cradling. _

"_Haruka Nanase." Makoto repeated after she had said his name. _

"_I had to convince my husband a bit though. He kept pointing out that 'Haruka' was too much of a girly name." The women sniffed, clearly still upset over the issue. Her grin returned after a brief pause._

"_In the end, I got my way. You love your name, don't you Haru-chan?" She laughed as the boy gave a loud giggle as she cuddled him. Makoto's lips stretched into an even wider smile at the scene. _

"_Well, I was actually teased a little about my name when I was younger, but it doesn't bother me anymore." Makoto revealed. _

"_Oh, forgive me. I haven't even asked for your name." The women frowned._

"_Makoto Tachibana." _

"_Well I think you have a lovely name." The woman said. Makoto flushed, appreciating the compliment. By the time they reached the store the woman breathed a sigh of relief. _

"_Thank you very much, Tachibana-kun." Makoto waived his hands dismissively. _

"_Would you like anymore help?" Makoto couldn't help but ask, watching as she took off the child's hat now that they were inside the cool store. Bright, wide, blue eyes gazed up at him in wonder. _

"_You have helped me more than I could have hoped for. I'll be okay now, I remember the way back." She smiled warmly. Makoto nodded, gazing at the pink-cheeked boy, who was squealing in delight, one last time before leaving the store. _

"_I-I can't, n-not anymore, I-I'm sorry." The women's sobs only grew louder, harsher. Her entire body began to shake. _

"_I don't understand what you want me…" A cold shiver of dread slowly trickled down Makoto's back. He shook his head. _

"_No, you can't ask me to-"_

"_Please! I have no one else….I-I don't know who else to a-ask, please." The woman grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly. He closed his eyes, desperately hoping for the woman to stop talking, for her to wipe her face and smile as brightly as she always did. For her to hold her head up high, pick up her child, and continue to move forward, but her crying only increased, her pleads growing more desperate. This couldn't be happening._

Makoto jerked awake, accidentally knocking over a few papers from his desk. He briefly wondered where that harsh huffing sound was coming from before he realized it was his own jagged breathing. He straightened his glasses and got up to retrieve the fallen papers. A small grunt left his lips when he saw the glowing green numbers of his desk clock

4:36 a.m.

He'd have to get ready for work in two hours and he had only gotten three hours of sleep. He was still wearing his suit from yesterday and had not even bothered to wash his face.

_Horrible example for Haru. _He thought, stifling a yawn. Seeing no need to head to bed now that he had so little time, and wanting to keep his mind off the dream (memory?) he'd just had, he sat back down and decided to continue grading his student's papers.

…

Smiling as the last of his students walked out of class, Makoto took off his glasses and placed them on his desk. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, or at least tried to. He was exhausted and had not been able to stop yawing all through out his lecture. Some of his students even thought he was battling a bout of the flu.

"Your students seemed worried, Mako-chan." Makoto smiled weakly, watching Nagisa lean against the doorframe.

"I'm fine, just sleepy." The yawn that followed proved his point.

"Makoto," Nagisa's voice lowered, his tone changing into a serious one. "I know you are trying your hardest-"

"I'm fine."

"-but you are still just one person, and-"

"Nagisa, I'm fine, please-"

"-I wish I could help you more-"

"Nagisa!" Makoto raised his voice, the stress, irritation, and sadness showing in his eyes. The brief crack in his normally docile façade quickly repaired itself. A tight, forced smile etched itself on his lips.

"Really, I'm fine, just a little sleepy." He gathered his glasses and scattered books. "I have another department meeting today." He said without looking up.

"Oh. So, is Rin-chan still babysitting Haru-chan?" Nagisa smiled at the way Makoto's demeanor changed, it became brighter, a hint of joy reaching his guarded eyes.

"Yes, he is great with Haru. I was unsure at first, well, you know Haru, but he found his way of interacting with him. Thank you for introducing us, Nagisa." Nagisa nodded, his pleasure of hearing those words only lasting a few seconds.

"I've been meaning to ask you. How do you two know each other?" Nagisa's smile faltered. He suddenly found the door far more interesting.

"Oh, you know, just, um… old friends." Nagisa chuckled nervously, standing up to leave. He was spared any further scrutiny when another teacher came looking for Makoto. They parted ways and the blond blew out a sigh of relief. There really was no need for the brunette to know exactly how he and Rin had come to cross paths. That was all in the past and there was no point in bringing it up.

…

"No, Haruka, you two have plenty mackerel at home." Rin ignored the scowling pout he received. He was currently out shopping with the little Haruka, and had to once again refuse to buy the particular fish the kid loved so much. He had been surprised when he'd received a frantic call from Makoto earlier that day. Makoto had explained to Rin that they had moved the time of his meeting to an earlier hour and that he couldn't get out of it. The distress in the brunette's voice had influenced Rin to agree to pick up the boy from school, so Makoto wouldn't have to worry about the child walking home alone. Later that day, after he had safely delivered Haru home, he saw how empty their pantry and fridge was. They now had nothing but mackerel at home, hardly what he would call a decent meal for a growing boy. With a sigh and a frown, Rin had dragged the boy out of the house and to the local market, intent on buying actual food.

"Rin." The tugging at his sleeve and the soft voice brought him out of his head. Rin looked down at the raven and saw that he was pointing at something. He barely had time to see what it was when the boy ran from his side and out of sight.

"Haru!" Rin ran after him, bumping into people and nearly dropping his grocery bag. _Shit, shit, shit. _Rin cursed when he couldn't see the little boy. Panic began to set in, a cold shiver of fear trickled down his spine.

"Haru!" A few people threw him curious looks, he ignored them all. His heart was hammering loudly in his ears, drowning out the loud chattering around him. Then he saw him. There crouching in front of a fish tank. He sprinted the rest of the way there, the horrible lump in his throat lessening. His relief was abruptly replaced by an irrational anger.

"Don't- _ever- _do that." Rin growled, his face sweaty and red. The boy mumbled an apology, his eyes flickering to the tank before meeting Rin's glare.

"_You nearly gave me a heart attack, Rin, Gou! I've told you two to stop running around like that. Keep it up and I'll just leave you two at home." _

Rin was taken aback by the sudden memory. He could clearly see his mother's stern face, one hand on her hip while the other held a large paper bag.

"Rin?" Haru stepped forward. Rin blinked and the image blurred and faded, he saw Haru's worried face. He cleared his throat and stuck out his hand, motioning for Haru to do the same.

"This way we won't get separated." Rin clarified as he grabbed a hold of the boy's tiny hand. Haru nodded.

"Makoto does it too." The boy said quietly. Rin smiled a little, of course he did. Makoto had the makings of a perfect parent.

"You should have just told me from the beginning." Rin said. Haru shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't know if all adults did that." Rin looked down at the boy, his expression caught between confusion and bewilderment.

"Well, since you always act so grown up, I assumed holding hands was beneath you." Rin smirked. The boy said nothing else after that and kept his gaze down at his feet. However, Rin realized that, contrary to what he liked to portray, Haru really enjoyed being looked after. He saw it in the way he stuck close to Makoto whenever the brunette arrived from work. He saw it the way the boy would try to hide a smile whenever Makoto fussed over him. And, now, he saw it and felt it in the way his hand was being held in a vice-grip. It was truly endearing.

…

Stifling what would have to be the hundredth yawn this evening, Makoto pushed open the door to his cozy apartment. He was slightly surprised to not hear Haru greet him like he always did. He closed the door, removed his shoes and tie, and finally heard the voices of Haru and his babysitter.

"Be careful with that and don't drop it." Rin's voice came from the kitchen.

"I'm not a baby, I can do this." Haru replied impatiently, his voice growing closer. Makoto smiled when he saw the little boy come from behind the wall that separated the kitchen and dining area, carrying a pitcher. As soon as he set it down on the table he noticed the brunette.

"Welcome home, Makoto." Haru smiled.

"I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your kitchen today." Rin greeted him with a small grin, carrying the food over to the dining table. Makoto was momentarily speechless. The delicious smell of the food reached his nose and his stomach grumbled loudly.

"Y-you didn't have-" Makoto stammered as he made his way to the table. Rin dismissed his words with a shake of the head.

"It wasn't any trouble. I used to help my mother cook all the time." The words tumbled out before he could stop them. Rin quickly spoke up again, mentioning that he had taken Haruka along when he went shopping. The change in subjects carried them through a peaceful dinner. It was odd, Rin mussed. These people were still strangers to him, but he felt completely serene around them. He'd mentioned it to Gou one time, his sister answering him with a vague smile on her face. She'd then said something along the lines of him being emotionally stunted. Rin shook his head at the memory, his eyes moving from his plate to the man before him. The brunette was definitely under some sort of stress. His usually bright green eyes appeared darker and dull, with dark circles under them. Rin also noticed that his shoulders seemed tense and rigid at times. Rin had been uncertain on how to approach the issue. He was after all Haru's babysitter, and therefore had no obligation to worry or care for Makoto. Unfortunately, he did care. Seeing him look this beaten down caused a swirl of worry to set in the pit of his stomach. That had been the reason why he had decided to cook dinner tonight, instead of waiting for Makoto to do it. The man looked tired enough. It wasn't until they had finished eating, and Rin had, while Makoto was putting Haru to bed, washed the plates, that the red-head finally addressed Makoto's current appearance. As soon as the brunette stepped into the living room, tired eyes searching for his wallet, Rin spoke.

"Is something wrong?" Rin tried to sound nonchalant, making his way from the kitchen to the threshold. There was silence.

"Of course not," Makoto finally replied. Rin's eyes narrowed when he saw the forced smile Makoto tried to pass off as genuine.

"I won't pry, after all who am I to do so, but," Rin faced Makoto fully. "Sometimes, keeping things bottled up inside only destroys us." Rin could have very well bitten his tongue. Who the hell was he to suggest Makoto open up to him, when he was hiding things of his own.

"Thank you for your kindness, Matsuoka-san. I can't thank you enough for you helping me out with Haru." Deciding that Makoto would say no more on what was affecting him, Rin allowed Makoto to switch their conversation.

"You know, you've helped me too." Rin knew this to be true, yet had not planned on telling the brunette that. Makoto stared at him for a moment, his green eyes looking less shadowed, Rin had to stop himself from fidgeting. Suddenly, a strange idea erupted within Rin. He wondered what an entire day with Makoto Tachibana was like. In the weeks he's been babysitting Haru, he only sees the brunette for a short period of time after he comes home. Their conversations never linger on anything too personal, Rin makes sure of that, though some days his curiosity burns stronger than others. Today was a perfect example of that. So, what would it be like to just spend a day with him? Rin's mind strayed further, into dangerous territory. Rin reeled in his thoughts.

They're mutual silence was broken by the sound of Rin's phone. Rin flinched at the sound and quickly grabbed it from his back pocket, answering it without caution. It was a stupid mistake to make. A cold wave of shock crashed into him when he heard the voice on the other line, the illusion that always formed whenever he was inside Apartment 259A shattered with that cold voice.

"You've been neglecting me an awful lot, Rin-Rin." It was one of his least favorite clients. He was a pushy man that, although paid extremely well, had sadistic tendencies that sometimes surfaced when Rin least expected them too. He'd often thought about removing him from his list of clients, but the money always outweighed the cons. He tried to mask his shocked expression from Makoto, who was staring at him in worry. Rin considered just excusing himself from Makoto's presence, but the next words whispered to him through the phone rooted him to the spot.

"I want to see you tonight, triple the rate, and," he paused. "I want you the entire day tomorrow." Rin's feet finally responded. He silently excused himself from Makoto's presence and stepped out of the apartment.

"The entire day?" Rin repeated, unable to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

"Will three-hundred thousand yen do it?" Rin's mouth went dry. His heart began to beat wildly with excitement. With that kind of money he wouldn't have to worry about the upcoming rent.

"Yes, alright. Just let me get a few things before." Rin breathed into the phone. The man chuckled.

"Of course, of course, just don't keep me waiting too long, Rin-Rin." Rin ended the call after they finished making arrangements and stepped back into the apartment. His eyes widened and his lip twitched in amusement at the sight he was greeted with. The brunette had indeed been exhausted. Makoto was currently sleeping away on his couch. The brunette's chest rose and fell with each breath, and his mouth sagged, a pink tongue peeking between his pale pink lips. Rin tore his eyes from the man, a hot wave crashing into him, causing his face to redden.

Deciding that it was best not to wake up the other man, Rin quietly let himself out. He'd have to call Makoto once he got home to tell the man that he would be unable to watch Haru tomorrow, Rin ignored the small twinge of guilt that arose within him. One day without his help wouldn't be the end of the world, Rin desperately tried to convince himself of this. Besides, his family came first, Gou should be the only one he should be worried about. With the money that he was going to get tomorrow, their situation would surely lighten. Nodding along with his thoughts, Rin made his way home, and attempted to come up with a good excuse he could give Gou to explain why he would be gone for an entire day.

He gave up half-way home when he remembered his sister was neither dumb nor five.

**_To be continued..._**

**_..._**

**_Author Note: I have tried to look for descriptions of Haru's parents but have not found anything, I have yet to read High Speed! so they might be mentioned there but I honestly don't know. So please put up with my own headcanon of what his parents look like. Also 300,000 yen equals roughly 3,000 US dollars, just an fyi. _**

**_Thanks for reading!_**


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